Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-10-29

Delights oi Existence In the LaDd OF the
Sil.-OuIck sprinIing Crops.


thar is a mistake. and one which would
be less prevalent, perhaps, if il were not
fostered by foreign officials, who wish to
prove that they need three months
holiday every year OF course, if a man
begins the day with brandy and soda and
unlimited lemon squashes, followed up by
a heavy lunch. and then retires beneath
the musquito curtains for siesta until
O'Clock. he will wake mp unrefreshed. If
he then calls a carriage and is driven
about till dinner time, he will probably
only begin To feel alive about 10 O'Clock,
He will not feel disposed To retire until
the small hours, and will waken in the
morning as weary as when he went TO
bed. This is matter Of course, for
which he should not blame the climate
much. Compared with Indian heat the
temperature of Egypt is refreshing; for,
however sultry the day may be. there is
a long. cool night. The only real trial is
the length of the hot season. A couple
of months of more intense heat would he
much easier To bear than the steady,
gentle grillng from May to October.
But, after all. an average temperature of
80 in the DAYTIME out of dours-which
may be reduced to so in the large native
rooms-sinking some 10 degrees OF Is
degrees at night. does not constitute a
very formidable summer climate.
Ii is interesting to study an entirely
different Egypt from that described 10y
the hundred and one authors who have
undertaken. at the solicitation Of their
friends. a record Of their experiences.
There is perpetual delight in watching
the slow and solid rise of the mighty Nile.
swollen by the rains in umeXplored
lands beyond the equator, roll
ing along it, thousands Of miles
below khartoum without a tribu-
tary, always giving to the thirsty fields
on either side, never receiving. but
ever flowing with a daily increasing tide
truly one Of the worlds greatest Won
ders. Gradually il fills the canals. and,
mounting lis banks. climbs softly up till
il laIG over and flOols the landscape, till
as Ear rs the eve can reach from the river
bed Egypt is one great lake. The villages
with thsr cluster. Of palms lie dotted
here and there, Ike tiny islands in the
sea. and the fell3u has time Ia cross his
hands and look IN with silent pleasure at
the great Nile fr1lctifying his acres with
rich mold from the heart of Africa.
Then rs quickly or as slowly as il has
risen the river sinks. leaving stagnant
pools which the sun licks up, and the
new layer of mud cracks into great
chasms dear TO the heart Of the cultivator
and ready for the quick springing crop.
The fresh growth is almost miraculous
in it, rapidity. Where one week all that
that meets the eye is muddy marsh
covered with waterfowl, ten DAYS later
the lovely tender green of the young
corn or berseen is covering the land.
Then the real work Of the fcllah COM
mences; which is TO prevent too much
water lying on his acres. and yet Ia supply
the requisite amount of moisture. The
pickax and shovel. the donkey and camel,
baby girl and the baby boy. all are
pressed into service. till gradually the
proper supply is obtained and the crop
springs up victorious. a home for the
winter flight of quail and a carefully pre-
pared hunting ground for the sportsman.
Wild duck and other aquatic fowl re-
joice in the Nile flood. and a goodly flock
of pelicans are 10 be found. The summer
plumage of the l-year-old birds peculiar
" beautiful. the undcrside of each feather
being of shell like rose color. One bird
will give eighteen inches square IF the
most lovely feathers. and dozen skins
will make am opera cloak beautiful
enough to cause any wnman's eyes to
glisten. Soon in lower Egypt the cotton
fields are in full bloom, mass Of glorious
yellow between gold and primrose color.
whose blossoms mean money. Quickly
the color fades to the universal brown Of
the pols. till they break out again with
the snowy fluff Of ripeneSS, and the cotton
crop is ready for the picker Probably
not one i'm a hundred If visitors TO the
Nile land has ever seen cotton field in
flower. II is one Of the sights reserved
for the summer martyrs.
What the cotton plant j. To the delta
the sugar cane is 10 the country b,twecn
Cairo and AssOuan. The cane is laid
down in the early summer in pieces Of
about fupt long. overlapping each other
in the ling burrows Boys then walk
along stamping down the ends. and the
earth is turned over. The process Of
taking root dHs not require much time,
and when once the spikes appear above
ground they shoot mp almost visibly. BY
the end Of August the planters work is
over. aud he will tell You that there are
many worse places in which 70 spCnd the
summer than bih"h. Magagah or Emcnt.
Thr morning rides and the moonIit sirolls
thr rmgh the plantations would supply
material for skrtching much less hack
neycd than mosques, pyramids and
camcls.
Whatever Europeans may feel. sum-
mer is the season the native really loves.
In the winter he goes about with his
head wrapped up IN multifarious shawls,
cursing the Franks who have brought
rain and cold, and bemonning his OWL
harl lot. The few piasters he can carr
will not afford him a fire. and his house
ii he has one. is wretchelly bare. In th'
summer he can sprawl about on th'
ground in comfortable warmth all nigh
long, and few beans in tine pod or {
couple Of yards Of sugar cane and
pumpkin give him a cheap and delicious
meal. Dust is better than mud for bare
feet. and the baking Oi the sun is pure
delight TO the Arab born. In the town
h. can have his nightly fantasias or
other open air amusements, which cost
nothing.
The beasts have their shnrr of enjoy.
ment from thc oycrlowimg abundance oi
food, and the humblest donkey hanquets